Chivalry Wears a Mask
by Dramatic Insanity
Summary: Julien takes on a furtive hobby as a heroic do-gooder after the sun has gone down to prove that he has a heart beneath his blithe outer layer. Eventual Skipper/Julien, Multi-chapter, Alternate take on the episode "Danger Wears a Cape" (Permission granted by box-of-hooah on tumblr for cover image)
1. The Incredible Comics

Julien slides the recently acquired penguin mask over his face.

Mort asks in alarm, "Where did he go? King Julien?!"

He looks around frantically. Julien bites his lip to keep from laughing.

"There is no Julien here - I have disposed of my foe once and for all, I, the bossiest of the penguins." He puts his hands on his hips and looms with menace over the diminutive Mort.

"Oh no, Skipper," Mort whimpers. "Why would you do such an awful thing?"

Mort starts to wail. Julien finds that annoying. He takes off the mask and strikes a dramatic pose. Mort's eyes widen, and he gasps.

"Ha ha I got you! It is just me, King Julien," he says, "And this nifty penguin mask from the gifting shop."

Mort sniffles. He still appears upset. Julien bends to give him a slight, quick hug. He can't be too compassionate, or others will walk all over him.

Maurice grumbles from the smoothie bar, "What are you doing to him?"

Julien rubs the back of his neck. "Just playing a game."

Maurice rolls his eyes, but he offers no further comment. Julien knows his shorter friend is not always approving of his antics. Yet, he remains loyal. Julien wonders sometimes that he doesn't get tired and leave. He's tried to stay away from Julien before, like when he helped the penguins with his thumbs.

Something Julien could have done, but the penguins don't put much trust in his abilities. He wishes he had some way to show them the true colors of his heart.

Then, he discovers the comics by the dumpster.

"Look at this!"

Maurice and Mort shuffle over, their curiosity grabbed. Julien holds up the comic and points excitedly at the pictures.

"This guy acts like a pompous billionaire in the day - but in the night he is a cool hero that everyone is loving him! A real people's person who serves the common good," Julien explains.

Maurice raises his eyebrows. "Didn't think you'd be interested in that kind of story."

"Here is his foe," Julien points at another frame. "He is a victim of circumstances. In the daylight the hero is causing this other guy much troubles, by sabotaging his tippy toppy secret operations. So, this villain at night tries to take revenge, and the hero is stopping him."

Julien giggles and hugs the comic. "The villain is not knowing he is actually fighting the billionaire, who he thinks is nothing but spoiled and stupidy!"

"I suppose that is intriguing," Maurice says. "Can I have a look?"

Julien tosses him the comic. "Sure! I am moving onto the next issue anyway."

He chews on a mango as he opens the next comic. Things are getting real! The sunlight disappears as he reads through the comics.

"Fetch the royal light making stick!"

Maurice hands him the flashlight. He shines it over the pages.

He clutches his heart and cries out in shock. He can't believe the villain just saved the hero from certain doom. Now, they learn they have much in common and are coming together to fight a greater evil than ever.

Maurice inquires, "What? What happened?"

Julien clicks his tongue. "No! I cannot be telling you - it would be a biggest spoiler."

Maurice deflates, his ears drooping. "Oh."

"Don't worry, you'll reach this chapter eventually. You won't be believing it, I tell you."

He reads through the night. Maurice falls asleep. Julien's eyes grow heavy and crusty, but he rubs them and defies the night to read on to one adventure after another. Dawn illuminates the zoo. Julien's flashlight slips out of his hand as he yawns. It flickers off, likely the batteries are drained. To himself he muses, "Have I been up all da night?"

Maurice stirs. He wakes up Mort, then begins to make breakfast smoothies. He brings Julien his smoothie, who takes it and sips it without looking at Maurice. He doesn't comment, instead watching Julien with amusement on his features.

Suddenly, the penguins appear on the wall of the habitat. Maurice and Mort look on in confusion. However, Julien still has his nose in the comic, and he's humming to himself.

"Ringtail?"

Maurice approaches them. "What's up?"

The penguins hop down.

Private says, "We were worried - well, mostly Skipper -"

"I'm merely observant!"

"Julien's been quiet for so long, Skipper - I mean _we_ thought something might have happened," Kowalski elaborates. "He didn't react when the clock fell just now."

Maurice shrugs. He glances at Julien, who is still deeply immersed in the fictional world of his action hero idols. One scene makes him laugh out loud. The next one, he claps his hand over his muzzle and his eyes grow large. He sighs softly and says, "If only that could be _me_."

"More accurately, some fiend broke it," Skipper says.

Julien closes the comic issue he just finished. "Back up a little - The clock? Who would commit such a heinous crime?"

"I don't know. There has been strange activity lately."

Julien doesn't miss the way Rico, Kowalski, and Private all sheepishly rub the backs of their necks. He raises a suspicious eyebrow directly at the three. They notice him and alarmed, they all point flippers each other behind Skipper's back. He is oblivious to their guilty behavior.

Skipper is still looking at Maurice. He adds, "At least I know a certain impulsive, trouble-prone lemur has an alibi."

Julien interjects, "You don't need to be talking of Mort that way. He has done nothing wrong to you in his life!"

Maurice and Skipper glance at him but offer no comment. Julien knows Skipper was talking about _him_, but he's insulted the penguin felt the need to give it a poor disguise. It's better to play stupid than let them know his real feelings.

"Yeah. He's been reading those comics all the past day and night," Maurice says. He gathers the box of comics that Julien had already completed and dumps it out at the penguins' feet.

"He hasn't even mentioned partying. It's really captured his attention."

"So! That's where our comics went," Kowalski comments. "I wanted to look up a reference for my superhero costume - oh."

Skipper whips around to glare at him. Julien sniffs, satisfied by his correctness. He opens the next issue and blocks out the penguin-y nonsense.

"Oops! I mean - uh -"

Private groans, while Rico slaps Kowalski in the back of the head. Skipper turns his attention to the lemurs. He can deal with them later.

"I'm surprised, he has the attention span of a squirrel with a flea-sized brain," Skipper remarks. "Usually."

"Yeah, I don't know. It's interesting but…" Maurice lowers his voice, but he seems unaware that Julien is secretly listening. "I kinda got bored - I didn't tell him, in case it made him mad. He seems to relate to the heroes, somehow."

Maurice indicates the first set Julien read, spanning through most of yesterday.

"Surely you don't mean the tale with the Golden Lynx and Chrome Wolf?"

"He's read a few others, but that's the one that got him hooked."

Skipper chuckles. "In his wildest dreams. He has the Lynx's false public persona down, but his other side? I think not."

Julien groans and drops his head on the comic held in his hands. "Might you all be shutting it a little? I can hear every word you know - and I am trying to concentrate!"

Skipper glares at him and crosses his flippers. "Exactly my point. You only think of yourself, and you're rude to everyone around you."

Julien's shoulders slump at that. His eyes shift to the side. Skipper appears surprised at his reaction. Briefly, he reaches out a flipper as though to comfort Julien. He yanks it back to his side and fixates on one of the colorful comic covers.

Julien mumbles, "Am not."

Private, Kowalski, and Rico watch them, not having any words to offer to the conversation. Skipper shakes his head and signals them. In the blink of an eye, they're gone.

Julien frowns. He touches Maurice's shoulder.

"You don't really think I'm all like dat, do you?"

Maurice blinks, and he hesitates.

"That is all I needed to know." Tears drip from his eyes. He gathers his things and leaves to go to his secret get-away-from-everyone place.

"Remember, be back before the zoo opens!"

"I am knowing how to tell the time," Julien responds. He leaps over the wall and speed-walks out of the zoo. He spares a glance for the penguin habitat, his heart sinking.


	2. The Aquatic Ally

"I wish I could make that silly penguin thinking higher of me," Julien says once he's at his hiding spot. It happens to be located in Fred's tree. Julien recalls when he got Fred and Savio mixed up - it's no wonder Skipper thinks little of him.

Fred replies, "He's a stubborn one. Yeah. Wait who are we talking about?"

Julien turns to Fred. "Of course I am meaning Ski - what the hecks are you wearing?"

"Oh this?" Fred touches the bright red eye mask on his face. "Just getting a few extra acorns doing jobs for the other guy with the mask. He's got a striped tail like you - are you cousins? Anyway, he said I need to wear this, it's kind of itchy though."

Julien processes that. "You mean Archie that deceitful raccoon? Tch, No, we are not being related."

Fred doesn't pay him much mind. He's staring at the wall. "So, why do you want Rico to think you high? Do you think it can make you float?"

Julien sighs. He knows he's not the brightest bulb, but Fred is more dense than Julien thought possible. He could hold a more scintillating conversation with Rico. Which, speaking of him.

"Not _Rico_, he is the one making stuff explode and vomiting! I want _Skipper_ to like me, the bossy one, the leader? Flat head? Ring a bell?"

"Oh. I thought you two _hated_ each other, I mean, you're always fighting," Fred muses. "Maybe it's a love-hate sort of thing I guess."

Julien buries his nose back in the pages of the comic he brought. He doubts Fred is going to have any helpful advice. He should've stayed at the zoo and asked Maurice. He doesn't know yet the depth of feelings that Julien has for Skipper, though.

He'd probably tell Julien to forget about it. That Skipper will never like him that way. He's probably right. He could ruin the tenuous friendship bond they've been building too. Julien strokes the comic page. He takes a moment to admire Golden Lynx's superhero outfit, including its most important piece - his identity concealing gold mask.

Julien freezes.

"Can I borrow your mask?"

When night falls on the zoo, Julien enacts his plan.

"You are looking sleepy."

Maurice stops dancing and stares at him in shock. People are looking at him like he's grown a second head too much lately.

"Uh - yeah, a little -"

"Do not be understating it Maurice! The party is ending now, you can go get the sleepies."

"Uh. Thanks King Julien!"

Mort says, "I like sleeping!"

Julien hears him mutter to Mort, "I wonder what's the catch? We'll have to do something awful tomorrow no doubt."

He says only for himself to hear, "Silly Momo. How dare he think I am not caring about his restings."

He lays on the bouncy with them and pretends to sleep. When their breathing grows slower he sits up. He carefully pokes Maurice.

"No mama… I don't want more pie…"

He pokes Mort too. He giggles and rolls over. Julien rubs his hands together. He pulls out his penguin mask and Fred's red mask from his temporary hiding place in the habitat. He also pulls out a red cape, he found it in lost and found and cut it so that it was small enough for him to wear.

Julien tries to remember how the penguins are doing things. He must secure the perimeter! He begins a walk around the zoo, keeping his eyes and ears alert for trouble.

"Oh, help!"

The first cry of need! He has no superpowers, but he is able to leap across the zoo by the trees and poles with his natural agility. He arrives at Marlene's in good time.

"When my ears pick on trouble, I'm here on the double," Julien proclaims. Marlene narrows her eyes, expression pulling in confusion.

"Huh?"

"You cried for da help?"

"Right… usually the penguins… nevermind. All the water in my habitat is gone! I just wanted to go for a late night swim, you know. I had this dream… it was really weird…"

Julien almost asks about the dream, his curiosity nearly getting the better of him. He has to stay focused, though it's difficult and sometimes annoying.

"Did you see any sign of the water thief?"

"You know… you sound kind of familiar. Do I know you?"

Julien clears his throat. He should lower his voice a bit, like Wombatman of Marsutham City. "I am certain to not know what you mean, stranger."

"Well, ok. I'm Marlene, I guess. I didn't see or hear anything… why on Earth would anyone want to take my water?"

Julien rubs his jaw.

Marlene offers, "Y'know what, I just thought of this! Maybe it's something to do with the pipes?"

"You should leave the detective work to me, citizen," Julien argues. "But… I suppose it's worth a quick look."

As a matter of fact, the hose connected to the pipes has a clog. Some of the pipes are stuffed and spraying water all around.

"Sabotage!"

"Yeah - or, a simple mistake, maybe?"

Julien examines the hose. Marlene joins him. She says, "Wow, no way we're getting that knot out with this big clog in the way."

"I can solve that - with my special powers!"

"Oh yeah, and what would those powers be," Marlene deadpans.

"Dance!" He leaps on top of the clog and pushes it through the hose with his dance steps, Marlene watching in awe.

"Alright, I'll admit - I'm a little impressed."

With teamwork, they're able to fix the pipes and free the hose from its tangle. Marlene grabs his hand and shakes it. "Thank you so much Mr. uh -"

"You can call me the Masked Booty!" He turns to display his concealed bottom.

"Huh. That's a little… unusual, but sure why not. Nice mask."

His ear perks as he hears another shout. "Who coulda done this?"

"I must be going now!"

His next destination is the gorilla habitat. However, halfway there, four penguins appear from the shadows and surround him. He stiffens, not willing to risk any sudden movements.

"Hold it right there!"

Julien raises his hands and looks around. "You are telling me to hold what now?"

"Who are you and what do you think you're doing? I know you answered Marlene's call of distress - our job, by the way!"

"Easy dere, good citizen! Not to fear, I mean no harm - only justice I swear!"

Kowalski contends, "I don't think swear is supposed to rhyme with -"

Skipper advances, and he pushes his beak against Julien's penguin mask. "Who are you? I mean it… you better explain yourself."

"Mr. Handsomest commander penguin, it is not my intention to trample on your placings."

"Then put away your silly costume and go back to your normal life," Skipper says. "I won't be responsible for some idiot getting himself hurt. Leave it to the professionals."

Even when he doesn't know it's Julien, he doesn't believe in him. It stings, like a wasp scored a bullseye on his heart. He clenches his hands into fists.

"No."

"What?" Skipper asks his team, "Did I hear that right?"

"Yes sir."

"It was loud and clear, Skipper."

"Uh-huh!"

Julien elaborates, "Betting I can prove myself to you! If I fail in the helpings with problems or stoppings of crime, I will quit."

"Let's make this more specific - you have a week trial. If - due to your own incompetence - someone is left unsatisfied, or a miscreant gets away with a crime - you immediately quit, and you reveal your identity to us. Otherwise you could just change your mask and name…"

These are lofty terms Skipper has laid before him. However, he's more determined that ever. He wants so badly to show Skipper he is dead wrong.

"Fine. But if I am succeeding in this week - you let me cooperate with your team efforts," Julien suggests. "So there can be no stepping on the toes."

"Fine."


	3. The Silent Savior

The next morning Julien wakes up slow to the painful sunlight. He groans and covers his eyes. Something prods him. He squirms and buries his muzzle into his tail.

"Go away."

It prods him again.

"I said I am trying to get the winks!"

The presence doesn't leave his side. He can feel them watching him judgingly. He drags a hand over his face and sits up. Maurice is staring at him, his eyebrows drawn in concern. Julien frowns.

"What?"

"You don't usually sleep this late. Are you feeling well?" Maurice touches his forehead. Julien brushes him off and yawns.

He had a busy night, but Maurice cannot be knowing that. The trend continues for the next few weeks. Every morning, he is his normal self, partying and being a friendly neighbor to everyone in the zoo. Nevermind that they find him a nuisance, they are simply grumpy.

Every night, he borrows Fred's mask for his booty, and he uses the penguin mask from the shop to hide his face. He becomes someone else, something else. In the morning, he conceals his paraphernalia from Maurice and Mort.

He does his part to fight crime and help the unfortunate and defenseless. He's not much of a fighter, but he's got his own tricks from dealing with enemies on Madagascar.

He passes the penguins' test. Hidden under his coverings and persona, they accept him as one of their own fairly easy. He lets them assume he is a cat, to explain his physique. Skipper in particular pays close attention to him and has a tendency to compliment him. It's a huge ego boost.

On the downside, each passing week finds him being more and more tired in the following morning. Recently, he's been dozing into the early afternoon and not having much energy for the rest of the day and night. He makes his dance parties shorter, so he can do the superhero business earlier.

Maurice is suspicious, but he's managed to evade his prying questions so far.

One afternoon, while the zoo has been closed to the whole day, finds him falling asleep on his feet in the middle of a dance party.

"Julien? Julien?!" Maurice shakes him awake. He blinks rapidly and rubs his eyes. "What's the matter with you?"

"I was having a good dream, and you were messing it up," Julien complains. He fantasized that he was hanging upside down from a tree, then kissing Skipper on the beak. Rico turned purple for some reason and cut down the tree. He rescued Skipper, then showed his true identity. Maurice woke him before he could dream Skipper's reaction.

He taps his muzzle. "I am thinking I should go for a walk."

He pays a visit to the penguins.

"What's it this time, Ringtail?"

"Can I not just be saying hello?"

Skipper doesn't appear to buy that. Then, he pauses before jumping into some tirade. "I - uh - I needed to ask you a favor actually."

The other penguins look at him in surprise. Julien stays silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Could you spare a few mango pits? It's not like you eat them," Skipper continues. "The Masked- uh - a friend of mine needs them for his important operations."

He's talking about Julien's alter ego. Julien is amused by the irony of this situation. He uses the pits as weapons, and he wanted to throw them off suspecting. He implied the pits were hard to come by, that he had a top secret dealer. For some reason, Skipper must be afraid of him running out, or he wants to make things simple for his heroic buddy.

"I can."

Skipper starts to smile.

"On a single conditioner."

The smile vanishes. "For once in your life, can't you be selfless?"

"No."

Skipper cradles his forehead with his flipper. He sighs. "Fine, what's your idiotic condition?"

"I want fish. Enough that would feed - for random example - five little ones, and one adult."

Skipper grimaces. He's totally perplexed. "What? But you hate fish?"

"Never you be minding your _own business_! Either we have a deal or not," Julien says. His voice drops too low in the middle as he begins to fall into his heroism persona. He raises it at the end. He needs to be careful.

"Fine! Rico, the fish?"

Julien returns to his habitat, arms full of fish. He grabs the latest discarded pits and gives them to the penguins. They can't say he doesn't keep a bargain. In any case, Skipper doesn't appear happy with him. At least he seems to adore the Masked Booty. Julien can live with it, long as he has that much.

That night, a penguin wearing a black mask over his eyes approaches Julien.

"Any room for a partner?"

Julien tilts his head. His expression is hidden by his mask so he answers in his deeper, growling voice, "I work alone."

"Just this once then," Skipper says. "Someone to watch your back." He tugs off the mask for a moment and winks. Julien's stomach does flips.

"You must be having a super cool superhero name - what should I call -"

"It's Slappy Hurt-Punch," Skipper replies, posing with his flipper mock-punching the other. Julien snorts a bit and slaps his leg, then tries to cover it up with a cough.

"Yeah I know, _me_ a costume wearing super geek? I had a phase. But I thought it'd be nice if we could work together, just you and me."

Julien nods. "Just this once, commando penguin."

Skipper rubs his flippers in excitement. Julien hovers at his shoulder while he murmurs to himself, "This is incredible! I get to spend the night with the Masked Booty… just me… maybe I can really get to know him..."

"Talking to yourself _hmm_, it's a little unbecoming," Julien whispers. Skipper jumps and wraps his flipper around his beak. He half-smiles, somewhat embarrassed.

"Uh - I - just pretend you didn't hear that."

Julien will definitely remember. He's heard Skipper gushing about him - rather about his heroic side - to other penguins, to Marlene, even in front of Maurice and Julien themselves but that was an accident.

"I am having an important appointment, but it might be disappointing for you. Not much action will probably be happening." He produces the bucket of fish from behind his back. "Could you kindly carry this for me Skip - I mean Slappy."

Skipper takes the bucket. Baffled, he asks, "Where did you get this - these look exactly like the fish I gave King Julien earlier how did you -"

"I am…" He produces air quotes - "_borrowing…" _He waves as though getting rid of a bad smell. "They were only using them for silly games, nothing necessary."

Skipper smirks. "How very Robin Hood of you." His expression melts to that of worry. "He's going to throw a fit."

Julien chuckles. He wrings his hands. He considers now that maybe he should put on a dramatic show tomorrow, for effect. "You leave me to worry about that."

Skipper follows him, through the park and not too far into the city to the rendezvous point. A pale tabby cat with heterochromatic eyes emerges from the shadows. Skipper makes a choked noise, probably having to prevent himself from revealing his identity by speaking to the cat. Julien is aware they know each other.

"Hello - uh who's your new friend?"

"Don't worry, that's my newish partner Slappy Hurt-Punch."

Max takes a step back. "Uh - that doesn't sound like a friendly name."

"He is my _friend_. You can be trusting him."

Skipper makes an appreciative noise in his throat. Julien grins behind his penguin mask. He gives Skipper a slight push and gestures to his bounty.

"We have the fish."

"Oh thank goodness!" Max glances around. Skipper narrows his eyes.

"Alright, follow me."

The pair follow the feline to the roof of the nearest building. There's a shelter in one corner, and Julien is quick to approach. Skipper gawks dumbly as five kittens rush to him and hug his feet. Julien twitches, still unused to it. They're just tiny, innocent kittens; as such, he's hardly going to kick them off.


	4. The Midnight Marvel

A/N: The penultimate chapter! Stay tuned if you like, as on the 12th, I hope to post the first two chapters of another Skiju multi-chapter installment called "Something Wicked"! Thank you for reading.

* * *

One of the kittens, a gray tabby boy, tugs at the hem of his matching red cape. Julien unties it and lets it fall to the roof in a heap. The kitten squeals with happiness and rolls around in his cape.

Skipper comments, "Isn't that just adorable."

"Agreed. Sometimes I am wanting one of my own..."

"Careful, Milo," his mother warns. Max goes to her, and they embrace. She giggles as he nuzzles her cheek.

"Don't worry," Julien assures, "It's tangle proof and allergy-free!"

The other kittens join in on the fun. Julien introduces them to Skipper. "The brown striped one is a girl, her name is Cinnamon. The one that looks like her mother is Grace. Then there's the boys, Milo, the black one, Cole, and the orange striped one, Marmalade."

Cole perks at the mention of his name. He pounces on Julien's rear and rips off the masks with his teeth. Julien is forced to give chase as he runs off with it. He can hear Skipper laughing at his expense, but he doesn't mind in this case.

He finally manages to get a hold of it. Cole flops on his back, adorable tiny feet in the air and looking cute and innocent. It's typical of him. Julien can't be irate, even if he wanted.

Their mother keeps her distance. She's still shy of him, but she trusts for her kittens to be around him. She's beautiful - with bright green eyes, and silky fur that is patterned with black, orange, and white patches.

Skipper asks Max, "You're the father of these lovely kittens?"

He slides his arm around the mother's shoulder. "Yeah, I'm a lucky guy! This is my lady, Daisy."

"Nice to meet you, Mister Masked Booty's sidekick," she says. Julien expects him to correct her, but he doesn't bother.

"Charmed, ma'am."

Julien takes fish out of the bucket, and he hands them each the two largest and juiciest fish. The smaller ones he divides between the kittens. They sniff and paw at the fish in confusion.

"They're still figuring out solid food," Max says. "It's difficult to find them enough. Thank you so much Masked Booty."

Max grabs Julien's hand, vigorously shaking it. Julien winces, but he doesn't pull away. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Skipper take one of the fish and swallow it in one. He is struck by an intense chill - he hadn't expected such an act.

Thus far, the only enemy he's faced besides unlucky happenstance is that shifty raccoon. Is this the origin story of his true nemesis? He clenches his hands. He'd never thought the one he's falling in love with would betray him, especially like this.

But no - after a moment Skipper returns the fish in mush form. Cinnamon scoops up pawfuls and eats it, purring in delight. Julien smiles.

"Great idea Slappy! I knew I could count on you."

Skipper's beak falls open. He swallows and ducks his head to bashfully preen his feathers. Julien squeezes his shoulder in a friendly manner. Skipper does his idea with each of the fish, swallowing them - and through some process Julien doesn't understand - regurgitating it partially digested so it's not as hard to eat.

The kittens' bellies are filled. Max hugs him again, and to his shock, Daisy finally hugs him too. Max hugs Skipper too, but in this case Daisy keeps to herself. She focuses on her kittens, grooming each one and putting them to bed.

Milo wiggles out of her grip and jumps into Julien's arms. He licks Julien between the eyes and says, "You're the best, mister!"

On the way back, Skipper asks, "What's with the mask on the base of your tail anyway? Surely no one will recognize you by your buttocks alone."

Julien scratches at the mask. Fred was right, it _is_ itchy. That's all part of hero's work, though.

"Actually, I have a scar. If my best friend saw it, he'd know instantly," Julien explains. "Let's say, I am not sure he would approve."

"That's ridiculous. What you're doing, it's amazing! You're magnanimous, altruistic, generous, kind, smart, handsome, noble -"

Julien's heart rate accelerates at the praise. If only he knew the true identity of the Masked Booty - but him not knowing is the whole point. Julien just wishes he had the confidence to reveal himself here and now, to see Skipper's reaction that he is capable of being more than selfish, careless, and rude.

"How do you know I'm handsome?" Julien snorts in amusement. "You haven't seen my face, you absurd penguin."

Skipper offers a nervous laugh. "Well, it's a hunch. Your inside must be reflected on the outside, right? Or there's no justice in the world. No matter what you look like anyway, you'd be beautiful to me."

They stand in the moonlight, gazing at each other.

"Oh. Well, I think _you_ are handsome."

"Uh. Do you have a girlfriend?"

"No." Julien is thrown by the sudden change of topic. "Why?"

"Er- boyfriend?"

Julien senses where this might be going, and he replies, "No, but there is an opening to have one. Except -"

"What? What?"

"My heart is longing for someone. I do not think he will ever look at _me_ the way I am secretly looking at him," Julien murmurs. His eyes start to tear up at the thought. Skipper might be enraptured by the valiant Masked Booty, but he'll never in a million years love Julien the foolish, troublesome lemur.

Skipper appears saddened by this. "For what it's worth - I think he's an idiot, and you deserve better."

Julien would normally find humor in the irony. However, he's made himself melancholy.

"Never be minding that. Thank you for helping me tonight, and for allowing me to be assisting with your missions."

"Any time. Anything I can do for you just ask."

The sun breaks the horizon, and they have to start walking again. Julien keeps his pace steady, so he does not give away his urgency. After all he's supposed to be a 'cat' and the zoo doesn't have any of them.

"By the way same to you. Don't be afraid to ask favors, I give them like the deciding trees are giving fallen leaves in autumn."

He gives Skipper a brief embrace. Skipper turns toward the zoo entrance, yet he pauses at the threshold.

"There is one thing…"

Julien moves closer. "What is it?"

"Would you… kiss me? Just one… _little_ kiss. I know your heart belongs to someone else but… if I could have this moment to carry with me, it would mean a lot."

Julien folds his hands together. His stomach flutters with a horde of butterflies.

"You have to close your eyes. No peeky!"

Skipper shuts his eyes tight right away. Julien takes a deep breath. He tugs off the mask and allows it to slip from his fingers to the ground. He momentarily considers letting him know, but he dismisses the notion for the horrible consequences.

He'd rather have this one moment to carry in his heart as well. He bends to Skipper's level until they're a lips distance away. Skipper's eyes remain closed, and Julien could run for it if he wanted, since he didn't officially make an agreement.

Instead, he tilts Skipper's beak up with two of his fingers and places his lips on the tip. It's so real, and yet the situation is stupefying. He keeps the kiss chaste, as Skipper expects. He doesn't want to risk showing his cards - specifically the king of hearts. He grabs his mask and shoves it back on his face.

"Goodnight, Skipper."

"I'll see you around… Masked Booty." Skipper slides into the zoo. Julien waits outside for a bit, to be certain he will not be noticed. Racing against time now, he returns the masks and cape to their secret place - in Fred's tree, naturally.

Upon reaching his habitat, he collapses headfirst on his lounge chair. He lays on his belly and covers his eyes with an arm. He doesn't get much chance to rest as the zoo opens, people bustling in and around the place.

"Son of a donkey's half-breed cousin," Julien mutters in contempt as he gets to his feet. Mort and Maurice are unfortunate to be close enough to hear that.

"King Julien!" Mort curls his hands under his mouth and giggles. Maurice merely arches a brow.

Julien does a few poses here and there to appease the crowd. He could work Maurice and Mort extra to take up the slack, but he's feeling more lenient. He recognizes that he's to blame for his tiredness, admittedly he gets carried away with the heroics. It started to impress Skipper and get his attention, but it's evolved into something Julien finds he just enjoys. It feels _righteous. _Who knew doing the helpful things could be so addicting?

When he'd done it because he thought the sky spirits told him, he didn't have his heart in it. Plus, everyone had expectations of Julien, and they were put off by that side. Since he can be his usual self in the day (the little of it he's awake for now), it must be that he is less overwhelming.


	5. The Truth Will Out

The second the zoo closes for the day, Julien returns to the lounge in the same position he had before the zoo opened. Mort climbs on top and places his hands on Julien's cheeks. Julien keeps his eyes shut tight.

"Aren't we going to dance now?"

"You can dance. I don't feel like it."

There's the sound of something shattering, and a mumbled, "Oh, darn. Infest me with cockroaches."

Julien huffs in amusement. He can't muster any effort to comment or look to the noise.

"Your majesty," Maurice says. "Are you sick? You can tell me if you're sick."

"Nooooo, I am not having any colds, viruses, diseases, or maladies, silly aye-aye. Stop questioning my health already, it's giving me the crazies."

"But… you don't _feel_ like dancing?! What exactly am I supposed to do with that Julien?"

Julien's eye twitches. He would really like to be able to sleep. Julien hits his fist on the lounge to punctuate his next statement.

"Stick it up your rump."

"Julien! I've had enough of this…"

Mort gasps, rather unnecessarily, in Julien's opinion.

"All of you do a lot of the shutting of the up."

Silence follows his order. He finally dozes off. A few hours pass.

"Julien… Julien… JULIEN, I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME."

Julien growls at the rude awakening by Maurice. He folds his arms under his head and makes a weak attempt to look over at him. With Maurice, it's Skipper. He has his flippers crossed, and he's looking at Julien with a concerned expression.

That does good to wake him a little.

"Skipper? What brings you to my kingdom?"

"Maurice is gravely perturbed by your recent health issues. I believe you should take it seriously. Above all else, I know you care about yourself, Ringtail."

"I am not - for the last time - _**not**_ \- tail-snapping sick!"

"Quite a mouth on you today though," Maurice says.

"Because, Maurice," Julien gripes, "you are bothering me for stupidy nothings."

"Well, I think Kowalski should at least look you over and - have you always had the scar?"

Julien lifts his head.

"Yes, I got it a while ago."

Maurice elaborates, "You see - there was this seer, a chameleon who has been with the family for generations -"

Skipper rolls his eyes.

"I know, I know. But King Julien XII, Julien's uncle, thought 'the king of the lemurs would be eaten by the fossa' - because of the prophecy. Therefore, he abdicated the throne to Julien, so he would be eaten instead."

Skipper narrows his eyes in disapproval. "That's despicable."

"Bunch of things happened… that led to some of the kingdom falling into the clutches of the fossa. Thankfully, they were not killed right away. Julien found this boombox in a trash heap, and his dancing distracted the fossa."

"The rest of the lemurs escaped, but Julien lagged behind. A fossa bit a chunk out of him… effectively 'eating' him. In any case, there was an avalanche of rocks, blocking them off, and Julien survived the ordeal."

Maurice's expression darkens at the memory. Julien is uncertain if it's because of his uncle's cruel plot, or due to the time following the incident that Julien spent being a pain in the butt himself. He constantly wanted to be doted on, and he couldn't sit right for almost two weeks, making him grumpy and brattier than usual.

"That's… quite a tale," Skipper says. He shuffles closer to examine the scar. Julien tenses. There's no way he could recognize it from a mere glimpse from when the kitten stole his mask, could he?

He turns over and pushes Skipper away with his feet. "It is being rude to stare you know!"

"It… looks familiar, is all, I apologize. When Calum stole the Masked Booty's mask I saw it - you've probably heard of him - I - I saw -"

Outraged in defense of his young charge, Julien blurts, "His name is _Cole_, and you are calling me scatterbrained sometimes?"

Skipper stares in awe. Julien brings his hand to his muzzle, as it dawns what he just exposed.

"I know his name. It was a test."

Maurice chimes in, "What are you talking about?"

"Julien's been dressing in a superhero outfit and fighting crime from nightfall to sunrise. He's known as the Masked Booty, and yesterday he brought fish to kittens, one of them with the name Cole - and these kittens, happen to be a _secret_."

Julien stands and holds his hands up. "Skipper… I can explain, just let me -"

Skipper flings himself at Julien. He plants his beak on Julien's lips in a passionate kiss. Julien stumbles, but he holds tight to Skipper. His fur stands on end as his heart leaps into his throat. Tears push out of his eyes as he internally swells with joy. He parts his lips to allow their tongues to gently meet.

When he pulls away, it's like a dream the manner that Skipper is looking at him. He swirls his fingers in the feathers at the back of Skipper's head. A flipper glides affectionately across Julien's muzzle and over his ear.

"It's you! All along it's been you, right in front of me," Skipper says. "Ringtail, you absolutely gorgeous buffoon why didn't you tell me?"

"Because… I thought you would completely hate me."

"I don't - I'm not sure I've ever -" Skipper sighs. He slides to the ground. His flippers stay wrapped around Julien. He gazes up at him adoringly - at least, that's the emotion he hopes that Skipper is portraying.

He takes Julien's hand to place a kiss on it. He doesn't let go afterward. Julien's lids droop as his gaze meets Skipper's. His other hand rests on Skipper's lower back, the appendage at home. They're so close, and Julien finds comfort in the casualness of it.

"I know I've brought you down, hurt you with my thoughtless words. I can admit now - I was afraid, that's why. But I know the honorable person you are in your heart, and you see - we both wear masks, these invisible facades, to hide our true feelings."

Julien closes his eyes and rests his chin on Skipper's head.

"We will stop being in the Nile and give to each other the truest feelings," Julien claims. "This is my kingly decree."

"I couldn't agree more."


End file.
